Rosehill Gardens sets the standard for racing venues across the world and offers a top class thoroughbred racing track to match. 

A recent $28 million refurbishment ensures racegoers enjoy the on-course entertainment as much as they enjoy the high-quality racing.

The upgrades include the addition of the Grand Pavilion located just past the winning post, which has taken the facility to new heights. 

Only 22km west of Sydney’s CBD, close to Parramatta’s CBD and Sydney Olympic Park, Rosehill Gardens is home to the $3.5 million Golden Slipper, a race that attracts Australia’s finest two-year-old’s each year.

The Golden Slipper has offered some of the best spectacles in Australian racing history and is a race steeped in tradition.

Track traits  

When jumping from the 1100m and 1200m distances, runners face an acute turn as they head for the home straight.

On-pace runners that can get to the rail are often favoured over the sprinting distances.

Track trends

The acute turn over the sprint distances combined with the flat home straight makes it difficult for backmarkers to make up ground.  

Races contested from 1300m and beyond on the course proper don’t necessarily offer the same favours as the sprint distances, given the longer sweeping turns. However, on-pace and rails in the run has never been a negative from any start point at Rosehill. 

Good track

The Rosehill Gardens track has historically favoured leaders on a dry racing surface.

Soft track

Like many tracks in the Soft range, the rail can deteriorate as the meeting progresses. The further the track moves into the Soft range, the wider jockeys tend to steer from the rails in the home straight.

Heavy track

A Heavy Rosehill doesn’t necessarily see jockeys scouting any wider than what they would on a Soft track. The track handles significant rainfall well and plays as well as you’d expect a heavy track to play.          

Starting Points and Distances 

1100m – Starting from an infield chute there is a short 300m run to an acute turn which continues for 400m until runners are met with a flat 408m home straight. This unique set-up gives leaders and inside barriers a distinct advantage.  

1200m – Starting from an infield chute there is a 400m run to an acute turn which continues for 400m until runners are met with a flat run down the home straight. Inside barriers are preferred. 

1300m – Jumping from the course proper, there is a short 250m run into the first of two sweeping turns. The short run into the first turn offers a distinct advantage to leaders and those drawn inside barriers.

1400m – Jumping from the course proper, there is a 350m run into the first of two sweeping turns. The run into the first turn offers a slight advantage to leaders and those drawn inside barriers.

1500m – Jumping from the course proper, runners have 450m of straight running before negotiating the first of two turns. There is no advantage from this starting position.

1800m – Jumping from the course proper, this is the first of the distances that sees runners navigate three sweeping turns throughout the race. A short 300m run leads to the first turn, giving inside barriers the greatest opportunity to find their desired position in the run. 

1900m – Jumping from the course proper, runners navigate three sweeping turns throughout the race. A 400m run leads to the first turn allows all runners time to find their position in the run.

2000m – A further 100m back into a chute from the 1900m start, runners are afforded a generous 500m before negotiating the first of three sweeping turns. There are no favours from an inside barrier draw from this start.

2400m – Jumping from the home straight, runners have 400m before taking on a tight first turn which is subsequently followed by three sweeping turns. There is no notable advantage from this position, however you wouldn’t want to be caught wide looking for a forward position coming into the first turn. 

Group 1 Races at Rosehill Racecourse

1100m

• Galaxy Stakes

1200m

• Golden Slipper

1400m

• Golden Rose 

1500m

• George Ryder Stakes 
• Coolmore Classic 

2000m

• Ranvet Stakes 
• Rosehill Guineas 
• Vinery Stud Stakes 

2400m

• BMW Stakes 

Rosehill Reacecourse historical performance for Group 1 Racing

Autumn 16’

March 12^th – Group 1's: Coolmore Classic.

Racing was on a Good 3 surface with the rail in the true position. Seven of the nine winners on the card found the rails in the run, with the track offering on-pace favours throughout the day.

March 19^th – Group’s 1: George Ryder, Ranvet Stakes, Rosehill Guineas, Golden Slipper, Galaxy Stakes.

Racing was on a Good 4 surface with the rail out 2m the entire circuit. The track played fair with runners coming across the track throughout the day.

March 26^th – Group’s 1: Vinery Stakes, BMW Stakes.

Racing was on a Good 4 surface with the rail out 5m the entire circuit. There were clear favours to runners who find the rails and ran on-pace for the majority of the day. Due to the large filed sizes, there was obvious wear and tear on the track, which enabled runners to then make up ground down the centre of the track later in the day. 

Spring 16’ 

September 10^th – Group’s 1: Golden Rose.

Racing was on a Soft 5 surface, with the rail out 2m the entire circuit. The track played fair with runners coming across the track throughout the day. Due to the Soft surface, the rail chopped up a little as the meeting wore on with runners scouting for the better ground as they head down the straight in the later races.  

Autumn 17’

March 11^th – Group’s 1: Coolmore Classic.

Racing was on a drying Soft 7 surface with the rail in the true position. The track played fair with runners coming across the track throughout the day.

March 18^th – Group’s 1: George Ryder, Ranvet Stakes, Rosehill Guineas, Golden Slipper, Galaxy Stakes.

Racing was on a deteriorating Heavy 10 surface with the rail out 3m the entire circuit. The track played fair with winners from on and off the pace throughout the day, the majority of jockeys searched for the best ground off the rails in the home straight.  

March 25^th – Group’s 1: Vinery Stakes, BMW Stakes.

Racing was on a drying Heavy 9 surface with the rail out 6m the entire circuit. There was a clear advantage to be on the rails in the run or on-pace, with all nine races one by a runner with this advantage.

Spring 17’ 

September 23^rd – Group’s 1: Golden Rose.

Racing was on a Good 4 surface, with the rail out 3m the entire circuit. The track played fair with runners coming across the track throughout the day.

Due to a large volume of racing at Rosehill leading up to the Golden Rose the racing surface appeared to be under some wear and tear. The rail was chopped up a with jockeys scouting wide for the better ground as they head down the straight throughout the day.